Time Schedule:
Michelle C. Kondo
ENVIR 220
Seattle Campus
Examines nature-society interactions in urban settings. Drivers, patterns, processes, impacts and consequences of urban and urbanizing ecosystems. Presents the state of our knowledge of urban ecology in its interdisciplinary format. Offered: W.
Class description
This team-lead introductory course will focus on understanding how social and natural systems function and how they are related to one another in an urban setting. The course will consider the topics such as urban wildlife habitat, landscape ecology, geology, hydrology, urban planning, environmental health, environmental justice, and consumption. Emphasis will be on Seattle and the Puget Sound Region to increase students’ understanding of the social and natural systems of which they are a part. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to identify key concepts in each of the topics listed above, discuss how the various topics relate to one another, and articulate specific issues these topics present in the Puget Sound Region. The class will be taught in a lecture and discussion format, supplemented with five field trips throughout the quarter (held on Friday afternoons from approximately 1:30 to 4:30, though some field trips may run longer in the afternoon). Field trips will be enhanced by interactive learning such as small field surveys and exercises.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
There are no specific class prerequisites. Students should be highly motivated to learn and interested in understanding their urban habitat.
Class assignments and grading
Grading will be based on in-class and field trip participation, weekly assignments, and a final project.
